Chapter 1

“Oh, but Mom!” Rosie pleaded desperately.
“That’s enough, Rosie. It’s not in the budget.”
“But, Mom! That was the cutest golden retriever I’ve ever seen!” Rosie whined.
“ROSIE! You understand very much that we cannot get you a dog right now. I just lost my job so now we’ve lost about 5,000 dollars. Why don’t you find a job? People are so desperate they’ll apply a ten-year-old if one came.” Mrs. Granger said.
“Mom, who do you have in mind?” Rosie asked, as she lay back in the grass. This hot July morning was not agreeing with her. She wiped her sweaty forehead with her arm.
“Try Mr. Elliel down the street. He’ll need some help behind the counter. If you’re up for the work, bring back the papers I need to sign and you’ll be on your way.” Mrs. Granger went on her knees and starting digging holes to plant seeds.
“Mom, before I go, give me a sunflower seed for good luck,” Rosie smiled.
Her mother chuckled. “Even through stressful moments, Rosie, you still manage to make me laugh.” Mrs. Granger dropped a sunflower seed in Rosie’s open hand. “Off you go, rascal.”
And with that, little Miss Rosie Granger made her way to Mr. Elliel’s grocery store. Rosie tripped over a sandy pebble. Glancing back, her face reddened as she saw her mother giggling. She got up fast, to prevent a dramatic moment. Rosie looked both ways and ran across the street, then broke open her sunflower shell. She stopped at the door of Mr. Elliel’s store. Rosie gulped. This store didn’t look like a business place on the outside. It always managed to spook her, for some reason. But the desperate need for a puppy took over her. She popped the seed in her mouth and walked in.
“Ah, Ms. Rosie Granger,” Mr. Elliel said, looking up from cleaning the counter.
“Hi, Mr. Elliel,” Rosie waved timidly.
“Come here to buy more seeds? Your mother is going to bankrupt me out of them,” Mr. Elliel smiled.
Rosie shook her head. “Nope, came here to apply for a job, actually.”
Mr. Elliel laughed, which made Rosie discouraged. “Come back in three years, Rosie.”
Rosie pleaded. “Please, Mr. Elliel! I need a puppy, since Susan’s out at the shore all day now. And you know Mom’s not working! Please, I need to get some more money into the house!”
Mr. Elliel thought about it. “Don’t often get ten-year-olds on the job, but it’s simple enough. Here, get your mother to sign this, and come back tomorrow at 8:30 AM sharp.” Mr. Elliel went into his office and came back a few seconds later with a two-page packet.
Rosie accepted the packet. “It won’t be hard. Just across the street, Mr. Elliel. Oh, and while I’m here, might pick up a few tomatoes.”
Mr. Elliel nodded. “Sure, having a sale on those. Used to be $2.50 per pound, cut it down to 1.75 bucks.”
Rosie squealed. “Good, Mr. Elliel! 5 tomatoes is a pound right?”
Mr. Elliel laughed heartily. “Where do you go to school, girl? It’s two tomatoes a pound.”
“Oh,” Rosie reddened with embarrassment. She grabbed a couple tomatoes and went back to the counter.
“$1.75, Rosie,” he said.
Rosie gave the money and exited the store. Yelling over her shoulder, she said, “I’ll give the packet, Mr. Elliel! Won’t let you down!”
Rosie’s mother was still there. “See you got the packet. Put it on the kitchen table and I’ll come in later.”
Rosie gratefully walked inside her air-conditioned house. She ran to the kitchen and set the packet on the table. Even though it was breezy and comfortable in her house, Rosie was still worn out from the beginning of the morning. She went to the refrigerator and pulled out a large bottle of water.
Rosie heard a familiar clacking noise. Rosie went to her room to investigate what the noise was. Hopping onto her bed, she peered out the window and opened it excitedly. “Johanna!”
Johanna grinned. “Hey, Rosie! Put down the rope, I’m coming up!”
Rosie grabbed the long rope that had been lying around. She threw it down the window, holding on to one end. “Okay, come up!”
Johanna grabbed onto the rope and started heaving herself up. Finally, reaching the window, Johanna raised it higher so she could climb in.
“You’re here!” Rosie squealed, gripping Johanna into a hug. Letting go, she said, “Took you long enough!”
Johanna frowned. “Did I miss anything important?”
Rosie shrugged. “Guess not.”
Johanna smiled. “Thought so.”
Rosie frowned. “Where’s Bullhorn and Toby?”
“Bullhorn’s at the vet with Mom and Toby’s at baseball practice with Dad.”
“Lucky! No brother or overfed dog to pester you!”
Johanna laughed. “Grandma’s there. So, she’s still pestering me to clean my room. I swept it and came here.”
“Cool. Let’s get some Russell’s! Their ribs are delicious!”
Johanna shrugged. “Ate before I came here.”
Rosie looked at Johanna suspiciously. “You’re always in the mood for Russell’s!”
Johanna sighed. Her sandy blonde curls heaved as Johanna’s shoulders went up then down. “My Aunt Betsy is coming for dinner tonight.”
Rosie giggled. “Aunt Betsy, eh? One who’s crazy about clean homes and is a vegetarian?”
“Yep. Now we have to prepare all this healthy veggie stuff before she comes. It’s disgusting! No one’s allowed to eat meat.” Johanna smirked. “In front of her. This is impossible; anyway, she’s always sticking to Toby and me.”
Rosie shrugged. “I’ll come eat with you guys.”
Johanna squealed. “Would you, Rosie? Ooh, thank you!”
Rosie grinned. “No problem. Hey, let’s visit Gina. She’s so cute!”
Johanna nodded eagerly. “Ever since Mrs. Chester had her a week ago, I’ve been to that house 24/7!”
Rosie and Johanna climbed down the window and landed lightly on the grass below.
“Ah,” Rosie sighed. “The grass tickles my toes with its luscious cool feeling.”
“I guess that means you forgot to put on shoes again,” Johanna giggled.
Rosie grinned. “Indeed I did.”
Johanna took off one shoe. “Here, put this on and we’re equal.”
“Not fair,” Rosie whined. “You still have socks on!”
Johanna took off her white and pink sock. She threw it at Rosie. “Taste wet shoe!”
Rosie squealed. “Ugh!” she snorted with disgust.
“Since when were you such a girly girl?” Johanna teased.
“Living with a shopaholic sister has changed me,” Rosie tossed her straight long brown hair. “Should I get my hair curly?”
Johanna thought for a while. “No. You just wouldn’t feel the same to me.”
Rosie nodded. “How about we go to Russell’s now?”
♥♥♥
“Good thing I stocked up on meat when I did,” Johanna patted her full stomach.
“Yeah,” Rosie agreed. “And Gina looked so cute with that mustard all over her face!”
Johanna gasped. “No, no, no! It’s 7:15! I’m late for dinner!”
Rosie grabbed her jacket then threw Johanna hers. “Let’s go!”
As they walked across the street, Johanna gulped. “What’s Mom gonna say?!”
Rosie glanced at Johanna. “Surely it’s not that much of a problem, right?”
“Oh, but it is!” Johanna squeaked. “Uncle James is not going to be happy either.”
Rosie stopped in front of Johanna’s house. “Well, come on then.”
Johanna stayed in the middle of the street. She shook her head.
Rosie’s eyes widened. “Johanna! Don’t be an idiot! Get out of the street.”
Johanna shook her head again. “No cars are coming.”
“That’s the good thing. COME HERE! THERE’S A CAR!!” Rosie yelled at the top of her lungs.
Johanna looked utterly frightened. But strangely, she didn’t move.
“Johanna! Get here!” Rosie screamed. What was Johanna doing? She’s not moving from fright! Rosie realized. Rosie ran off the stairs and jumped into the street. Getting behind Johanna, she pushed Johanna. Usually, Johanna would be light and move along with Rosie. But now…
“Johanna!”
The car’s headlights blinded Rosie. Rosie screamed.
Blackness engulfed her.

End of Chapter 1. Author's Note...

So tell me guys what you thought of the first chapter. It wasn't much, and this is actually one of my "poor" books. I kind of rushed through it because i wanted to get something uploaded on Bookrix A.S.A.P. and i just got Lovel chapter 1 and copy and pasted on here. Tell me what to fix i'm having some writers block and i'll post up chapter 2 soon. I'm only 11 so don't hate! If this was uninteresting, I'm sorry, once again I'm only 11 so I'm not a professional author yet.

Impressum

Texte: This is an original spottednose and jaynat book.
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 02.01.2012

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Widmung:
This is dedicated to my former teacher, Ms.DiMatteo. For encouraging me to never stop writing!